Fall River man arrested with fentanyl and stun gun during traffic stop

FALL RIVER — A routine traffic stop in early May led to the arrest of a Fall River man found with a significant amount of fentanyl and an illegal stun gun, Massachusetts State Police reported.

Trooper Stelvio Neto, alongside his Field Training Officer, Trooper Quinn Indio, spotted a Nissan SUV on Pleasant Street around 1 a.m.

The driver, identified as Michael Couto, 55, was seen holding his phone in a way that illuminated his face in the darkness, prompting officers to initiate the stop as part of their traffic enforcement duties. traffic with the Dartmouth barracks midnight shift.

Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Neto determined that Couto’s license had been suspended.

After Couto was handcuffed and escorted to the patrol vehicle, a search revealed he was carrying a golf ball-sized bag of fentanyl and a smaller bag of crack cocaine.

A subsequent search of Couto’s Nissan uncovered numerous packages of fentanyl and a stun gun in a backpack.

Under Massachusetts law, possession of a stun gun requires a carry permit, which Couto did not have.

Couto was booked into the Dartmouth barracks, where he was photographed and fingerprinted.

He was in possession of approximately 79 grams of fentanyl and 8 grams of crack cocaine.

He was arraigned in Fall River District Court on several charges, including trafficking fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (subsequent offense), possession of cocaine (subsequent offense), possession with an electric stun gun, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and possession of an electronic device while driving.